Surprise!!

I love surprises. The happy kind. Not the, "Surprise! You have a flat tire" kind.

At Copperpot, Tracey takes her leftovers from her own stash, etc., and puts them into lots she calls "The Pit." Since I like surprises, I ordered one. Surprise! Look at all the great colors and fibers!

I was near the bottom of the box, and suddenly my happy unpacking was interrupted by another surprise. Look who stowed away all the way from Michigan!!

At least that is what we are assuming. I've never seen this kind of critter in these parts. After letting the little creature loose in the back yard, my mind began to conjure up Steven King titles involving the spider who ate Vancouver! Ah, well. Now I know the wool is insecticide- and moth-free!!

MS3 Update

I just finished Clue #2. Clue #3 awaits me. I'm a bit behind, but the design is so nicely done, I believe I'll catch up quickly. My recycled yarn is also working out well. I love it when all the pieces of a project come together.

:Pink Socks

These are far too warm to wear today, but I'll be happy to have these cheerful woolies this winter. Knit in my own hand-dyed yarns, I designed them as I went. They are knit from the top down and have a simple eyelet stitch in the leg portion which adds to the "slouchy" look.

Me, Myself and I

That's the name of the -Along at get Stitchy! this month. It comes at a great time. Like most fiber enthusiasts, the majority of what I make goes to others. Whether it's a gift, for my shop, or on consignment, it's not mine to keep. In the vein of the cobbler's barefoot children, I'm often not even wearing something knitted or crocheted. Not a very good advertisement, eh?

I have several items on my list that I've been planning to do or finish for myself, and just haven't got to them. So, July is the month to do something just for me. Let's see how many of them I actually get to...

First is my mini-sock blocker keychain. With some leftover Lorna's from several years ago, this little "sockette" now dresses my summer bag. Yay! The added advantage: I only need to make one!

I also joined the Mystery Stole 3 KAL. Although the suggested colorways are black or white, I always seem to want to go off the menu and do something different. I have quite a few sweaters I'm recycling for the shop, and one of them wanted to stay with me.

It's a rayon/silk/angora blend in a lace weight plum color. After raveling, re-spinning, washing, and drying it, I saw just how great it would be as a shawl. Adding some iridescent beads and here are the ingredients for my version of the MS3. So far, I'm enjoying the pattern, as well as the mystery.

More on the queue? Oh, yeah! Check back to see how many of them I accomplish!